Disposable pillow



N 1965 e. s. WORCESTER DISPOSABLE PILLOW Filed NOV. 16, 1964 INVENTOR. 6101025 6'. fi orras'zer BYMM 1 United States Patent M 3,283,343 DISPOSABLE PILLOW Gurdon S. Worcester, High St., Gloucester, Mass. Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,493 4 Claims. (Cl. -337) This invention relates to an inexpensive give-away or throw-away pillow, made of the most economic materials, for use in hospitals and similar institutions and in public lodging and on public transportation.

Inflatable pillows have long been available in the form of a woven fabric impregnated with waterproofing. Such pillows are durable and suited for repeated use, but are not inexpensive and do not afford the comfort of a conventional pillow. The strength of such pillows is in the fabric which is relatively hard and, owing to the Waterproofing, non-absorbent.

The object of the present invention is to provide a most economical pillow which-has the soft texture of a conventional pillow and water absorbency.

According to the invention a disposable pillow comprises Walls of sheet material forming a pillow shaped compartment, and said sheet material comprising an exterior layer of soft, non-woven fibrous material having substantial water absorbency, and an inner layer joined to the outer layer, said inner layer being of air tight, elastic material having substantially greater wet strength and bursting strength than said outer layer, and said outer layer having a substantial water absorbent volume between said inner layer and the exterior.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of the pillow;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the pillow comprises 2 rectangular walls 1 of a sheet material to be described in detail. The sheets are bonded along their margins 2 except for an opening for a valve stem 3 closed by a plug 4 or any other similar valve means after inflation of the pillow. A self-sealing valve through which an inflating needle is inserted may be used. Two webs 6 span the central part of the pillow to provide a depressed portion for head comfort.

According to the invention the sheet material of the pillow Walls 1 is, as shown in FIG. 3, composed of a relatively thick outer layer 8 and a thin inner layer 9. To impart comfort to the pillow the outer layer is of a soft, fiuify or nappy non-Woven fibrous material such as heavy grade facial tissue or napkin paper. Other soft non-woven fabrics are also suitable. Such fabrics are not harsh on the facial skin during long contact such as a hospital patient endures, and are also absorbent of oral, nasal or other body secretions. These suitable fabrics,

Patented Nov. 8, 1956 however, are quite inadequate to resist moisture softening or bursting under the pressure of inflation.

Accordingly an inner layer 9 of air tight material is bonded to the outer fibrous layer 8. Typically a film of polyvinyl chloride or other synthetic elastomer is bonded to the fibrous layer 8 while it is still tacky at the end of its manufacture. Such a film 9 forms with the fibrous layer 8 a sheet quite capable of being inflated and compressed in use. It does not substantially penetrate the fibrous layer 8, but leaves a substantial volume of the fibrous layer water absorbent. Such an inner layer 9 has considerably greater wet strength and bursting strength.

An inflatable pillow formed of such sheet can be made most economically and yet will provide the desired comfort and water absorbency.

I claim:

1. A disposable pillow comprising walls of sheet material forming a pillow shaped compartment, and said sheet material comprising an exterior layer of non-woven fibrous material having a texturally soft exterior surface with substantial Water absorbency, and an inner layer joined to the outer layer, said inner layer being of air tight, elastic material having substantially greater Wet strength and bursting strength than said outer layer, and said outer layer having a substantial water absorbent volume between said inner layer and the exterior.

2. A disposable pillow comprising walls of sheet material forming a pillow shaped compartment closed except for a valve opening, an air valve in said opening, and said sheet material comprising an exterior layer of nappy, non-Woven fibrous material having a texturaliy soft exterior surface with substantial Water absorbency, and an inner layer joined to the outer layer, said inner layer being of air tight, elastic material having substantially greater wet strength and bursting strengththan said outer layer, and said outer layer having a substantial water absorbent volume between said inner layer and the exterior.

3. A disposable pillow according to claim 1 wherein said outer layer is a paper with the texture of facial tissue.

4. A disposable pillow according to claim 1 wherein said inner layer is a synthetic elastomer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,956 11/1940 Seaton 161-251 2,667,915 2/1954 Pfeffer et al 5-339 X 2,709,293 5/1955 Schwaderer et al. 161-251 X 2,822,554 2/1958 Wenzelberger 5-337 2,847,997 8/1958 Tibone 124-348 X 2,964,041 12/1960 Ashton et al 128-290 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

